This invention generally relates to washing machines and more particularly to improvements in a full-automated washer which automatically performs operational processes ranging from water-supply before washing to dehydration after washing.
In automated washers, it is necessary for a sensor to accurately detect information regarding a quantity of an object to be washed which is thrown into a washing drum because a stirring time, a feed amount of cleanser, a water-supply amount for rinsing and a rinse time are determined for the object to be washed dependent upon the information regarding the quantity of the object. Without accurate regulation of the water-supply amount and cleanser feed amount, an optimum washing operation can not be performed automatically.
For example, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 53-35272 proposes a full-automated washer. This proposal however provides only weights of an object being washed as information regarding quantities of the object. Inventors of the present application have found that, in automated washers, detecting only a weight of an object to be washed as information regarding a quantity of the object fails to determine optimum water-supply and cleanser feed amounts. The aforementioned proposal teaches detection of degrees of soil and determination of cleanser feed amounts but fails to disclose any specific means and method for the purposes. However, unless, in full- automated washers, the construction of an expedient operative to regulate the water-supply and cleanser feed amounts and a control method therefor are deliberatively contrived for accurate adjustment of these amounts, an optimum automatic washing operation can not be expected.